Time to bring out the ugly.
That’s right.
Say hello to Meyhna’ch of Mütiilation.
Mütiilation is a band that formed in 1991 in Grabels, France. Who’d imagine that some french guys could create something as ugly and fucked up as this? The album I’m posting here was released in 1995, which was their and “the black legions” first full lenght album, and according to some started the entire depressive/suicidal black metal trend. I dunno, Mütiilation is pretty far from Shining and such. Raw, fucked up, and I’m guessing, ready to die. Oh, and from 1996, or whatever, Meyhna’ch has been alone in the band.
Mütiilation – Vampires Of Black Imperial Blood
01. Magical Shadows Of A Tragic Past
02. Born Under The Master’s Spell
03. Ravens Of My Funeral
04. Black Imperial Blood
05. Eternal Empire Of Majesty Death
06. Transylvania
07. Under Ardailles Night
08. Tears Of A Melancholic Vampire
This album, together with March to the Black Holocaust, was instrumental in establishing the reputation of the Black Legions among underground black metal circles. The overall reception of the album was highly polarized with some dismissing it as “forgettable melancholic drivel”. Globally, the most notable elements appear to be the “twisted”, “demented but catchy riffs” and, most importantly, the “melancholic”, “bleak and lugubrious”, “depressive atmosphere”, that differed from the established Norvegian black metal acts of that time. On the base of this album, Mütiilation is often credited for inventing the “depressive/suicidal black metal” sub-genre, that would spawn acts such as Xasthur and Shining. However, unlike groups the album influenced, “Vampires…” shows a wider range of dynamics and an unmistakable style of songwriting, especially for that era of the genre.
While the production quality has been acclaimed as “significantly clearer” than on earlier Mütiilation demos, other reviewers described it as a “nonexistent production”, or even an “ultra primitive sound quality (…) making Darkthrone sound downright hi-fi”.
Now, this album is raw, it’s sounds ugly, and it’s fantastic. You can download it here.
Best regards,
That Vulture
